


broken down on the shore

by emrys (livingshitpost)



Series: the lion, the lamb, and the wolf [2]
Category: Warcraft (2016), Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: Alternate Canon, Aunt-Nephew Relationship, Battle, Battle for Broken Shore, Canon Era, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Death, Emotional Hurt, Family Loss, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt No Comfort, Loss, No Incest, No Lesbians Die, No Romance, Not A Fix-It, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Protective Siblings, Referenced Parent Death, Sibling Love, Siblings, War, World of Warcraft: Legion, fuck you, quotes from canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 02:17:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18273770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livingshitpost/pseuds/emrys
Summary: Brother, don't leave me tonight.Adariall mounted the rope ladder, all but pulling her brother up with her, and started to climb as they made their escape.Varian followed, but not before letting out a final 'this-isn't-over' growl at the demons pouring forth from the sickly green portal.Gul'dan laughed from his vantage point on the ground and summoned a massive ball of fel fire to hurtle towards the gunship.





	broken down on the shore

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Hymn of the Firstborn Son](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/467900) by Skar Productions. 



"Victory is ours," Varian barked over the din of battle, "Hold fast! Mekkatorque, we finish this now. Bring in the gunship."

"Way ahead of you, sir!" The gnome paused to flip several switches inside his mech. "Transangulating our position right now!" He pressed one last button and the machine's left arm blasted an incoming felguard in the face. He laughed at its demise. 

"Genn," Varian called out next. "Genn!"

The worgen looked up from the mangled jaw of another felguard. "My lord!"

"Push forward!"

Two large felbats swooped down from above. Varian swung Shalamayne above his head, leaving a gash in one of the beasts' stomachs, then ducked as the other swiftly followed. He heard it shriek as his sister cleanly sliced through one of its wings and knocked it aside with her shield, then plunged her blade into its chest.

"And get Windrunner's archers to clear the skies," she added, the remains of a smile haunted her lips.

No sooner had she said it, it seemed, did they hear the low sound of a Val'kyr horn. Varian looked up to the cliff where the dark rangers stood, only to see their cloaks flourishing behind them in retreat.

"No," he said quietly, "she wouldn't."

"I knew it," Genn shouted. "I _knew_ we couldn't trust her!"

"It's Garona all over again," Adariall muttered. She glanced sideways towards her brother, hoping he hadn't heard, and shook her head quickly.

"Without the Horde, we'll be overrun," Genn shouted over the noise. "We must retreat!"

Varian set his jaw. "Get everyone to the gunship," he ordered. His voice was level, even as demons began to appear over the cliff where the rangers once stood.

"EVERYONE FALL BACK!"

Adariall mounted the rope ladder, all but pulling her brother up with her, and started to climb as they made their escape. Varian followed, but not before letting out a final ' _this-isn't-over_ ' growl at the demons pouring forth from the sickly green portal. Gul'dan laughed from his vantage point on the ground and summoned a massive ball of fel fire to hurtle towards the gunship.

"INCOMING!" Genn warned. "HARD TO PORT!"

The marine at the helm turned the wheel as quickly as he could, narrowly avoiding the impact, but sending the King and Princess Royal clinging to the swinging ladder for dear life. Others were not so lucky, flying from the deck and down to the greasy ash far below. There was a telltale metallic wail. The hand of an infernal reached upwards, grasping the side of the ship and pulling it down. Genn struggled to keep his footing at first, but then dragged Adariall over the railing to safety before extending his hand once more to the youngest of the three.

"Varian," he cried, "take my hand!"

The infernal continued to drag the ship down. Soldiers slid down the steep incline of the smooth decks and hurtled overboard, raining down upon the infernal like drops of water.

"We can't break free!" Someone bellowed.

The king looked down, one hand still on the wooden rung of the ladder, the other reaching for the letter he'd been composing when they'd arrived.

"Varian!"

Adariall turned slightly, then reached out her own hand as well. "VARIAN!"

He thrust his hand upward and made contact with his sister for the last time.

"Take this to my son," he said calmly. "And take care of him."

She grasped it tightly, crinkling the parchment. Her grip only tightened when he let go.

The two of them watched as he fell, unsheathing his sword once more, and ran it through the thick metal plating of its head. It released its hold on the ship and Genn quickly ordered for their retreat to continue, but the paladin didn't move as she clutched the scroll to her bloodied, soot-coated breastplate. Her dark brown eyes remained fixed on the scene growing ever smaller before her; an infernal brought down by one man alone. A man she was proud to call her brother. She couldn't make out many of the details, but she knew he continued to fight until she heard that terrible, piercing scream. It washed out over the shore like blood over cobblestones and into her heart like death itself and rang in her head as the man beside her let out a long, mournful howl.


End file.
